48. Operation Begins. (3)

Threatening with water?

This is as good as saying they’re going to kill everyone.

I went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror.

I must be in a really foul mood.

My eyes look like they could kill someone.

“Sigh…”

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down.

The waterworks.

Right now, I feel like I could stab to death anyone involved in the threat, just for being there.

But no matter how bad my mood is, the operation is imminent. I can’t move.

The people there, whether it’s one person or many, are probably feeling smug because their threat worked.

I’ll crush that feeling in a few days.

I looked at myself in the mirror and took a slow, deep breath.

“Are you really going to kill them all?”

Sung Gyeon’s voice.

I turned to see her leaning against the bathroom door, arms crossed, looking at me.

She was in the men’s shower this morning, and now she’s trying to take over the men’s bathroom too?

The thought made me laugh.

I grabbed the sink and bowed my head to hide my laughter, then said:

“…This is the men’s bathroom.”

I don’t know why.

My anger just dissipated.

Maybe it’s just funny.

Sung Gyeon came closer.

The scent of shampoo or some subtle feminine fragrance wafted over.

The image of her body from earlier came to mind.

My heart started racing, so I turned on the faucet and splashed water on my face.

Sung Gyeon said:

“We don’t know how many are there, why they’re threatening, or who’s involved. There could be children. Killing everyone isn’t the answer. Don’t you think so?”

As I splashed water on my face, I chuckled and stood up.

I looked at Sung Gyeon.

Drip, drip.

Water dripped from my chin.

…She’s beautiful.

But her thoughts are quite different from mine.

I said:

“There were cockroaches.”

Sung Gyeon tilted her head, looking at me.

I smiled.

“Not real cockroaches, but people. They acted like cockroaches, so we called them that.”

“…Ah.”

Sung Gyeon nodded, but her expression showed she didn’t understand what I was getting at.

I said:

“Before the apocalypse, they were probably just moderately rude, moderately selfish, and did things that annoyed people. They were the kind of people who got harassed online and lived that way, yet they had the nerve to act entitled. You know, the kind of trash you often see around.”

Sung Gyeon frowned slightly.

I laughed and said:

“The only reason they could act like that and get away with it was because there was still law and order. Even those idiots knew the police would come if they got too out of line, so they kept their behavior in check. Some of them did make the news, but that was just a small part.”

My expression was starting to slip.

I tried to smile, but I could feel my eyes turning fierce.

I said:

“Now there’s no police, no law, no prisons. Now it’s the apocalypse. This is the perfect time for that kind of trash to act out.”

“…What happened to those people?”

I smiled.

“What do you think happened to them?”

There are no other survivor groups in our neighborhood besides the people in the mart building.

Sung Gyeon’s face showed she had an idea.

“…Not everyone was a perpetrator, right?”

I nodded.

“Right. There were women, old people, and children. They were innocent victims. They all died in the zombie wave.”

Sung Gyeon frowned, looking at me.

“…You couldn’t save them? Those poor people?”

I laughed.

“…Why would I?”

Sung Gyeon’s expression changed.

My question seemed to shock her.

But it didn’t matter.

I smiled and said:

“Listen carefully, Gyeon. I have special abilities. People think of me as some kind of hero. But I’m not a hero. I’m just like you, struggling to survive in this apocalypse.”

I took a step closer to Sung Gyeon.

“I can fly, shoot guns, use swords, bows, and ride motorcycles. Does that make me someone who can save everyone? No. I only have one life. If my head is cut off, will I still live? Can I survive without water or food for ten days?”

Sung Gyeon glared at me but didn’t respond.

I smiled and said:

“When I go out to fight, what do I think? I’m not a savior. I can’t save everyone. That’s the only thought I have while I stab human beasts with my sword.”

Sung Gyeon slowly opened her mouth and said:

“So you just let those people die?”

I smiled.

“Yes. And the ones messing with the water will meet the same fate, no matter who they are or how many there are.”

Sung Gyeon looked confused and said:

“But you saved people from the nearby village and brought them to the power plant.”

I laughed.

“I needed people to manage the power plant. I need electricity too.”

Sung Gyeon opened her mouth but didn’t speak. She looked like she had a lot to say but didn’t know how to start.

I walked out of the bathroom, leaving Sung Gyeon behind.

Our relationship is probably ruined now.

But it doesn’t matter.

“If you’re going to kill and let people die, what’s the difference between you and those ‘cockroaches’?”

I stopped walking.

I glanced back and said:

“They’re dead, and I’m alive.”

Then I walked away.

After that, Sung Gyeon didn’t appear around me until the morning.

I would return to the break room after my watch, but she was always somewhere else when I wasn’t there.

The conversation earlier must have been quite uncomfortable for her.

This actually made me feel better.

The image of Sung Gyeon’s naked body had been making my heart race all day, but now it had calmed down.

I made a couple of trips back and forth, bringing food in duffel bags for the people managing the power plant. It was already afternoon.

In front of the management building, Commander Sung Gyuhyeok and Sung Gyeon were talking with the special forces members.

I walked over calmly with two duffel bags full of food slung over my shoulders.

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok saw me and waved, smiling.

“Seong-hun, you’re here. You’ve been busy all day. Is this your second or third trip?”

“I’m not sure. Second or third. How’s the operation preparation going?”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok nodded and said:

“We’ve planted all the bombs. The operation starts in two hours.”

“Really? What’s the plan?”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok’s expression was the same as always.

He didn’t seem to know about my conversation with Sung Gyeon or anything that happened between us. Neither did the other special forces members.

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok said:

“The plan is simple. We’ll cut the power inside the building and turn it back on in four hours. During that time, the power to the perimeter and the high-voltage current in the barbed wire will also be off. We just need to guard the power plant while the barbed wire is down.”

That’s really simple.

I looked out at the distant mountains.

“Has anything appeared?”

“Rats have shown up occasionally. The guards on the roof are keeping watch, so we’ll know if anything appears. How about you? Did you see the big boar again when you went out?”

The boar was more like lying in wait and got a blow to the back of the head from me.

I smiled and shook my head.

“No. I looked around the mountains, but there was nothing. Just some small creatures in the trees or rocks. It was quiet.”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok crossed his arms and slowly nodded.

“That’s fortunate. It would be best if nothing happens during the four hours.”

I chuckled.

“But we still need to deal with the boar. It’s a problem if it doesn’t show up.”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok smiled and said:

“We brought reconnaissance drones. We have two of them up now. We’ll find it soon.”

Oh, drones.

I smiled and nodded.

“Let me know when you find it. I’m going to rest.”

I nodded slightly to Commander Sung Gyuhyeok and the special forces members and walked past them.

Sung Gyeon’s eyes met mine.

She turned her head away.

Whatever.

That’s fine.

I smiled and walked past her, heading to the second-floor meeting room where the survivors were gathered, and handed over the duffel bags.

There were happy faces and words of gratitude.

Especially the old man with the poisonous mushrooms had recovered significantly over the past couple of days. His eyes had regained their light.

“Thank you. Really, thank you.”

The old man bowed his head to me.

His body was still weak, but it was good to see the light back in his eyes.

“Don’t mention it. Rest and eat well. Take your medicine. You need to get better soon.”

“Yes, I will.”

Song Jungsah needs to return to Seo-rae Village as soon as possible to handle the Chinook. If this old man doesn’t take responsibility, it won’t work.

I smiled and left the room.

Next door.

The power plant control room.

Park Sojang and Song Jungsah were having a conversation.

“Do you really have to do this? You can stay here.”

“Don’t worry. I’m leaving. I’m just glad I could spend a few days with someone like you.”

“Director Park, please reconsider. I lost my family too. Most people did. I’ve been through what you’ve been through.”

Song Jungsah was trying to persuade Park Sojang.

His voice and tone were quite earnest.

They’ve really gotten close.

It would be awkward to interrupt this conversation. I’ll leave it to Song Jungsah.

It would be best if Park Sojang stays.

If he stays, the survivors can take on different roles, and the power plant can run smoothly.

I nodded and went down to the break room.

I’ll just rest.

Someone will come to get me when they find the boar or when it’s time for the operation.

I lay down on the sofa, trying to catch a nap while waiting for the operation to start. Soon, Sung Gyeon entered the break room.

“Seong-hun, are you sleeping?”

I opened my eyes.

“Not anymore. What’s up?”

Lying down, I looked up to see Sung Gyeon biting her lip, looking down at me.

She said:

“I need to talk to you.”

I waited for her to speak, without responding.

She bit her lip and said:

“I think you’re wrong.”

I blinked, looking at her.

I didn’t respond.

She said:

“I think you’re a hero.”

…What?

She added:

“I’ll keep expecting it. Good luck with today’s operation.”

Then she left the break room.

I watched the door close, then slowly lowered my head.

…What did I just hear?

My head suddenly felt complicated.

“…Sigh…”

My heart started racing again.

I thought it would be better if our relationship was ruined, but what’s this?

“…Damn it.”

I rubbed my forehead and closed my eyes.

Two hours until the operation starts.

“Sigh…”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.

It wasn’t easy.

After lying there for a while, someone opened the door and came in.

“Seong-hun, the operation is starting.”

It was a special forces member.

I opened my eyes.